The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1887-12-28
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Notes on the Lesson for jan
uary 1-"Herod and
John"

From the Chicago Standard. BY Rev. JIM.
Coonl
The lesson for the above date may be found
the first twelve verses of the fourteenth
chapter Of Matthew
DAILY READNGa
xvii, 7-2I
4 Good versus evil Prov XXX, LA
w. Swear not ut all Judges Il, $40
J. better audience Esther ", LA.
4. Marks account Mark vi. l4-39
y LuAe's narrative Luke TX, Ia
y Herod and Christ Luke xxui, liz
HISTORICAL
double murder; Johns decapitation,
herod's spiritual suicide. John and Herod
arc the Two contrssted characters here.
nerod Anupss, governor Of Gailee and
feriea under Rome, o quarter segment OF
tho large domain OF Herod the Great, his
tather; weak, but ambitious man, easily led
" inquiry, hardening has heart, like pharaoh,
against Tie truth, the same man who later
suffered 30 severely at the hands OF Aretas,
nis fret fatner-in-law, and la the days OF the
least with an added callousness, looked upon
the baseiy-apprehended, cruelty beaten Christ
On the other haAd, John, stern, bold, fearless;
appearing frst an infant II the advent OF
Jesus; again prophet at Chrlsts entrance
upon his ministry; once more strong, IN
curing voice, though stuffed in part IN the
midst Of Christ's mighty works; now finally
y martyr to the right his work done, IN
Herods dungeon. The days OF his decrease"
are ended In Christ Is his @incresse"
WHAT THE LESSON SAYS
l. At that time When Jesus was teachi ng
In his own country" near Nazareth OF Gall
lee. Herod the 1etrarch Herod Antipas,
son OF Herod tue great conceived in SIN, his
Malthake by mama 1t is the same Herod of
Gaiiiee to whom Plate sent Christ at his sub
sequent apprehension Tetrarch. Ruler Of
the fourth part, l. O., OF his fathers
divided kingdom Fame The popular
report What every one was saying about
Jesus.
2 Servants. Greek, @boys" His body slaves
with whom he might talk Familiarity and IN
conventionally. John The Baptist Doubtless
frequent designation on the Kings lips, as
1T Was haunting memory IN mind and heart
Risen from the dead Not yet pious doc
Works Luther translate lth accustomed
simplicity @such deeds. Literally, these
powers
8 Had laid hold previous incident
John was already IN prison before Jesus as
sembsed his full apostolic college, and before
He began His preaching tour of Gaiiiee.
Matt ii: 2; q: IL Prison. A convenient at
tachment in tho-e days to every unpr.ncipled
court. HerOdidS Daughter Of Aristoboius,
and grand daughter Of Herod the Great, hence
her own husbands niece. First married to
Herod Philip l., whom she ambitiousy and
wicAedly abandoned for Herod Antipss. Her
plots subsequent y caused her husbands ban
lshment to Lugdunum Qyons), where she
died in exile. Herod also mad lawful wife
living elsewhere; an Ubiquitous household
4. John said unto him. A bold, fearless,
ace-tO-face accusation IL is not ld0ful Not
by any civilized code; certainly opposed to
the Lev teal statutes to which John gave
fealty Qev. Is: 10; 20: 2ll. The name of
Aretas, the father OF Herod's legitimate wife,
is mentioned in Cor. IL: 81
5. lie aoo,ld. Literally, wishing to. Mark
states that IL was Herodias who desired to
commit the murder, but could not because Of
Herods fear of the people, and also for some
thing of pers onal regard on his part The
woman was here again first in the transgres-
sion, the man treading fast however, upon the
heel, of iniquity, his sin all the more aggra-
waited because of his disposition The mali
tude. See the scenes about Jordan. A
prophet We learn from the subsequent
events OF Matt 21 20, that the chief priests
and elders also feared the multitude, "for oil
held John as prophet" that Is, teacher
sent of God. See Christ's conversation W tn
Nicodemus in the days Of the lstter's hating
faith. John 3: 3
6. HerodS birthday As usual with heath
en- potentatee, day of wine and dancing.
The daughter Of HerodiGS Salome Ivy name,
afterward the wife OF her uncle, Herod Philip
l.
oomprom missing, and, in such fsshion as she
came, dsmning Pleased Herod. Caught the
momentary fancy OF an inebriate. Wine and
righteousness go we'll together. Tho house
OF drinking is not unusually under the same
roof as the house Of sin.
2. Promised OF the orig nal wor d Liddell
and Scott say: ~To make an agreement to
come to terms, especially of o surrender" A
surrender here sure enough. oath. Gratu-
itously given in the wild intoxicanon Of the
m oment The word orkOs, from which this
is translated, was originally identical with
spread by the evil one in this case
Whatsoever Without reservation. II is
what Satan expects of all his victims
BRIEF HINTS
Notice as suggested by this lesson: The
eventfuinoss of the gospel annals. i he
tragedies of sacred history. far ex-
tending influence of the Christ-life, The
conservation of force and the everlastingness
of good The instan antag onism 'tw xt vice
and virtue. How wide-reachiug and all
absorbing wickedness is. tho ordinary
form and manife-tat of demoniacal posses
sion. The prophetic element in history -
The power of woman for good or ill-1he
peril of evil associations The king versus
the multitude. The death Of righteous man,
"a after-infuenoe. The hazard of the oath.
MANS responsibility for his chosen de-
lights The baseness OF absolunsm in gov
ernmcat What prison walls might tell =
The test of faithful discipleship. What
Christ said of sins hate while in the flesh
LESSON OUTLINE.
]. Vs. IL haunted throne. Herod's
disordered mind, induced by a deordered
heart, sees reminders of his evil deeds every
where.
9 Va. ga sin cursed throne. A like
minded pair, conspicuous for their double
aud shameless SHINING, sat thereon
8. Va 81. weak and vacillating throne
The King afraid of the people "a we'll as Of
the prophet, and at last captivating under
the wanton solicitations of frivolous girl
T. We. ga A demon possessed throne
There was she-devil there in the shape Of
Herodias woman like unto J.zebel OF old
in Ahsb's household. There were Satanic
emissaries all around the King to encourage
his vicious counsels and propcnsities
3 Va l0-12 A bloody throne. rel with the
appalling MURDER OF John the Baptist Weak,
sin-cursed, demon po sessed, bloody. No
wonder il was haunted throne thronged
with the spectral chatting OF a palsied brain.
Here read Sa.au's heritage, here behold the
course Of AIN in high life. Such life is not
worth living"
BLACKBOARD EXERCISE.
Evil Conscience. Good Conscience,
Haunted ". q. just Mark 9: 20).
FIRING ". o. Obedient Matt. IL =.
Ruled of evil Tvs. S-1U). Happy q Tim 4:O.
Oath. bound Nv. ~. Naught-fearing ". ~.
/ Daadlv III